Melaque mayors take actions to reduce plastic going into the ocean

The current and former mayors of Melaque, Jalisco, Mexico: Rosa Evelia Vidrio and Adrián Herrera Álvarez.

Following a presentation to local government officials in 2014 about the impacts of plastic debris, the then mayor of Melaque, Adrián Herrera Álvarez, undertook several initiatives to reduce the amount of plastic going into the oceans from litter on the Melaque beach. These included: placing garbage cans at the end of every street that abuts the beach, increasing the number of recyling collection sites in the town, sending notices to owners of restaurant and residential homes and businesses to remind them that they are legally responsible for cleaning the beaches all the way to the water line (most cleanup was only being done in front of their establishments), holding events to raise awareness about the plastic in the oceans, and beach cleanups.

This has resulted in a very substantial decrease in the amount of plastic on Melaque’s beach and thus the amount going into the ocean. However, this situation changes dramatically when tourists from other parts of Mexico come to Melaque for holidays such as Easter, Christmas, and holiday weekends. During that time a significant amount of plastic debris is littered along or near the waterline. Therefore, much more needs to be done to eradicate plastic debris.

The new mayor of Melaque, Rosa Evelia Vidrio, who started her three year term in March, 2016, is enthusiastic about continuing to improve the plastic debris situation in Melaque.

MIDWAY A Message from the Gyre

MIDWAY, a Message from the Gyre is a short film which provides a powerful visual journey into the heart of an astonishingly symbolic environmental tragedy. On one of the remotest islands on our planet, tens of thousands of baby albatrosses lie dead on the ground, their bodies filled with plastic from the North Pacific Gyre, providing a multi-layered metaphor for our times. Photographer Chris Jordan.

Impacts of Plastic Debris

This pup was entangled in fishing line when he was rescued, courtesy marine mammal centre. Click image to learn more about how plastic debris is impacting life in our oceans.

Impacts of Toxic Waste

This sludge-covered Common Dolphin was trapped at low tide in canal that was polluted with toxic waste from industry. It died before it could return to the ocean at high tide. Click image to learn more about how toxic waste is polluting our oceans and waterways.

Impacts of Man-made Noise

More than 100 whales and dolphins died after beaching themselves in Australia. The mass beaching has been linked to seismic testing, which is a method of searching for offshore oil and gas. Impacts include temporary and permanent hearing loss, abandonment of habitat, disruption of mating and feeding, and even beach strandings and death. Click image to learn more about noise pollution.

Impacts of Overfishing

Hammerhead shark definned alive for its fins and thrown overboard to helplessly sink to the ocean floor to slowly die. Click image to learn more about Sharf Finning and other Unsustainable Fishing Practices that are resulting in Overfishing of our oceans.

Impacts of Climate Change

Because of melting sea ice in the Arctic due to climate change, adult polar bears and cubs have drowned when they’ve been forced to cross vast expanses of open ocean that exceed their strong swimming capacity. Click image to learn more about how Climate Change is threatening life in our oceans and on land.

The Importance of our Oceasn

Phytoplankton - the foundation of the oceanic food chain. Image courtesy of the NOAA MESA Project. Seasonal phytoplankton blooms account for over half the photosynthesis and subsequent atmospheric oxygen production on Earth. It’s hard to believe, but we owe every breath we take to a biological product of marine animals mostly invisible to the naked eye. Click image to learn more about why our oceans are so important.

"It is amazing the rapid way with which we are ending our oceans, as if we had the task with a time limit to finish with all the good things that the oceans give us." . . . Mora Reyes Ramo del Rocío, student, San Patricio Melaque high school, Mexico